Dental engine handpiece



Dec. 29, 1931.- R. c. ANGELL I DENTAL ENGINE HANDPIECE Filed Oct. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet attozu wza Dec. 29, 1931. R. 3. ANGELL DENTALFNGINE HANDPIECE Filed Oct. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snow doc fiubevYYfHngeli,

. a 2 7 a \l! Patented Dec. 29.1931

UNITED i STATES ,PATENT OFFICE ROBERT C. ANGELL, OI! PRINCE BAY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE S. S. WHITE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COIP ANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL ENGINE mam Application filed October 4,1988. Serial No. 810,205.

My invention relates attachments for denta engine handpieces and is especially directed to that class of such devices as are commonly known as contra-angle attachments and in which the tool supportingend is ofiset from the axis of the handplece proper with which it is adapted to be removably en aged.

The principal ObJBCtS of my invention are to provlde an angle attachment for a dental engine handpiece of such simplified construction and arrangement that it maybe so read-- ily assembled, variably adjusted, and taken apart as to facilitate lubrication, cleansing and repair, and also convenientl permit the parts to be readily and eflectivel y sterilized.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an angle attachment in which the tool mounting structure may be variably adjusted to direct the tool forwardly or rearward? in inclined relation to the axis of the ban piece or laterally from either'side thereof. Further objects of my invention are to provide an angle attachment comprisin a s lit head, a split elbow and a sleeve in t rea ed engagement with said elbow, all being sepa 1e and so correlated that the mere threaded engagement ofthe sleeve with said elbow rigidly engages the separate parts to form an inte a1 structure. I

y invention contemplates such an arrangement of the parts including-the head,

elbow and sleeve, that any tendency of the head to turn, twist or be otherwise forced with respect to the elbow, tends to so pry the members of the split elbow apart as to effect increased frictional engagement of said elbow members with the retaining sleeve.

My invention further includes an angle attachment having a split head so divided as to facilitate the employment of bearing bushin s rigidly retained but readily replaceable.

pecifically stated, the form of my invention as hereinafter described, comprehends an angle attachment comprising a tool carrying head split longitudinally in a plane normal to the axis of the tool socket, and having a restricted polygonally formed neck, an elbow split lon i tudinallyand having an inter.-

nally forme polygonal collar fitted. to said particularly to angle neck, and asleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to hold all of the parts together to form a rigid integral structure.

My invention also includes all the various novel features of construction and arrangetional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, the cooperative rotary parts being shown in elevation for convenience of illustration and the details of the bearings being omitted but illustrated in the enlarged Fig. 9; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of said structure taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the bur-holding head comprising the forward unit of said structure and showing the complementary head forming sections separated or convenience of illustration; Fig. '5 is a plan view of the head structure shown in Fig. 4, but showingthe bur-retaining latch shifted to open or inoperative position; Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the bur-holding head structure; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, looking toward the split surface, of the right-hand member of the split elbow; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the split elbow comprislng the intermediate unit of said structure; Fig.

9 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal sectional view ofthe bur-holding head and the associated elbow, showing in detail the arts contained in said bur-holding head; i 10 is a transverse sectional view similar to ig. 3, but showing means whereb agreater range'of adjustabllity of the hea with re- .spect to the elbow may be attained; Fig. 11 is essentially includes the distinct units comprising t e bur-holding head 1, the elbow 2 and the sleeve 3. The head 1 is split longitudinally in a plane transverse to the axis of the bur which is held therein and comprises the lower member 5 having the nose 6 provided with the bore 7 comprising the. shoulder 9 arranged to receive the bearin bushing 10 having the flange 11 engaged wit said shoulder 9, said bearin bushing 10 being arranged'to be forced t erein but being readily replaceable when worn.

The upper member 12 of the bur-holding head 1 is provided with the bore 13 in whic the bearing bushing 15 may be forced in replaceable engagementtherewith, said bearmg bushing 15 having the exterior flange 16 forming the shoulder 17 arranged to engage the split wall of said upper member 12, and also eing provided with an inner flange 19 affording a bearing shoulder 20 for the toolholding chuck 21. The flange 16 extends into the bore 7 and serves to insure accurate axial alinement of the upper and lower members of the head 1.

As best shown in Fig. 12, the bearing bushing 15 is provided with a plane surface 22 on one side thereof, which a ords a plane wall for the gear receiving pocket 23 in the bur-holding head, said pocket being conveniently provided with the oil inlet 24 for lubricating purposes.

i The chuck 21 is provided with the beveled gear 25 rigidly secured thereto to afford an integral structure, and has the bore 26 arranged to receive the shank of the bur 27, shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 10, and is provided with the projection 29 extendng into said bore adjacent to its inner end and serving as a key arranged to engage the flattened side of the bur 27, so as to insure rotation of said bur with the chuck, in a well known manner.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the upper member 12 of the bur-holding head is provided with the slot 31 extending transversely to the axis of the bur-holding chuck and in which slot the latch 32 is mounted for oscillation about the screw 33 as a center.

Said latch 32, as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 9, is provided with a recess 35, the edges of which so embrace the restricted neck 36 of the bur 27 when swung into operative position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9, as to prevent the bur 27 from being axially displaced, the tail 37 of said latch 32 being turned inwardly to engage the recess 39 in the elbow 2, when in operative position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9.

The bur-holding head 1 is provided with the bore 40 extending longitudinally in transverse relation to the axis of the bur-holding chuck 21, through which bore 40 extends the shaft 41 having the beveled gear 42, disposed in the pocket 23, and in toothed engagement with the beveled gear 25, and also having the beveled gear 43 in toothedengagement with .50 .of which projects through and beyond the sleeve 51 and is arranged to be engaged with the chuck of the handpiece with which the contra-angle attachment may be employed, in a well known manner.

The neck of the bur-holding head 1 comprises the restricted polygonal region affording the plane surfaces 52, 53, 54 and 55, including their contiguous outwardly beveled end surfaces, arranged to be embraced by the collar 56 of the elbow 2 which comprises the complementary sections 57 and 58 and which has the corresponding plane surfaces 59, 60, 61 and 62 and their contiguous inwardly beveled end surfaces. The inner end portion of said elbow is provided with screw threads 63 arranged to be engaged by the internal screw threads 64 in the sleeve 3, which has its forward end beveled as at 65 to engage the conical outer surface 66 on said elbow 2, so that when said sleeve is engaged with the split elbow, as best shown in Fig. 2, the parts 57 and 58 of said elbow are rigidly clamped together about the neck 12 so that the plane surfaces 52, 53, 5-1 and 55, and their contiguous outwardly beveled terminal surfaces, of the polygonal neck region of the head 1 and the plane surfaces 59, 60, 61 and 62, and their contiguous inwardly beveled terminal surfaces, of the collar 56 of the elbow 2 tend to maintain the split elements of the head in rigid engagement.

As shown in F i 3, the polygonal neck and collar comprises ut four plane surfaces 52, 53, 54 and 55 forming the square and therefore, it will be obvious that in this form the direction of the axis of the bur 27 is restricted to four adjustments corresponding to the number of plane surfaces. However, as shown in Fig. 10, it is obvious that the number of surfaces may be varied as desired. In this form, eight surfaces 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 and 77 are provided and therefore the axis of the bur '27 may be directed in eight different directions, as clearly indicated by the dotand-dash line positions of the bur 27.

It will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 2 that by reason of the coaction of the inclined or beveled surfaces 65 and 66 at the forward end of the sleeve 51, the elbow and sleeve may be drawn into a more rigid engagement with each other by the threads 63 and 64 than 'if said threads and beveled surfaces were relatively transposed-that is, if the threads were at the forward end of the sleeve and the beveled or inclined surfaces were at the inner end of the elbow.

Although I have shown and described the plane surfaces 52, 53, 54 and 55 and their conplane surfaces 59, 60, 61 and 62 to insure that j their respective contiguous beveled surfaces engage in close contact, thus a more rigid structure is attained when assembled.

It may be here noted that when the-bur 27 is forced laterally against the work, the head tends to turn or twist in the elbow 2 and thereby effects such a wedging or toggling action as to tend to force the members of the split elbow against the inner wall of the bore of the sleeve, whereby greatly increased friction between said elbow and sleeve is attained to prevent their accidental relative rotation.

My invention is advantageous in that by merely removing the sleeve 3 from threaded engagement with the split elbow 2, all of the parts of the handpiece attachment are released and separated so that they may be readily sterilized, and similarly said parts may be as readily assembled and held together by attaching the sleeve with the elbow in threaded engagement.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details of construction'and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head split transverse to the axis of the bur, a split elbow adjustably connected with said head, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to hold all of the parts together to orm a rigid structure.

2. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head split transverse to the axis of the bur, and having a restricted neck, a split elbow adjustably connected with said head and having a collar fitted to said neck, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly hold said parts together to form an integral structure.

3. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head split transverse to the axis of the bar and having a polygonal neck, a split elbow having a collar substantially conforming to said neck, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly hold all of the parts together to form an integral structure.

4. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head having a polygonal neck and being split transverse to the,

axisi of the bur to form separable sections providing sockets, replaceable bearing bushmgs disposed in said sockets, a split elbow having a collar substantially conforming to said neck, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly hold all of the parts together to form an integral structure.

5. A dental handpiece attachment com- I prising a bur-holding head having a polygonal region and being split transverse tothe axis of the bur to form separable sections, an elbow split in the plane of its bend and having means cooperative with said polygonal region to prevent accidental relative rotation of said head and elbow, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbowarranged to rigidlyhold all of the parts together to form an integral structure.

- 6. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head having a polygonal region and being split transverse to the axis of the bur to form separable sections, an elbow split in the plane of its bend and having means cooperative with said poly onal region to 'aiford relative adjustment about the common axes of said head and elbow, and a sleeve in threadedengagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly hold all of the parts together to form an integral structure.

7. A dental handpiece attachment comprising'a bur-holding head split longitudielbow, and a sleeve eifective to hold all of I said parts together to form an integral structure.

8. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a'bur-holding head provided with earings having intersecting axes, said head being split longitudinally along one of said axes, and in transverse relation to the other, a bur-holding chuck having a beveled gear rotatably mounted in the bearings on the last mentioned axis, a shaft mounted in the bearings on the first mentioned axis and having gears cooperative to effect rotation of said chuck, an elbow split axially and having means arranged to embrace said head structure and to hold-it in rigid relation therewith, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to clamp the split sections of said elbow about said split head structure.

9. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head provided with bearings having intersecting axes, said head being split longitudinally along one of said axes, and in transverse relation to the other, a bur-holding chuck having a'beveled gear rotatably mounted in the hearings on the last mentioned axis, a shaft mounted in the hearings on the first mentioned axis and having a driving gear in toothed engagement with the gear on said chuck and a driven gear, an elbow split axially in the plane of its bend and embracing the head structure, a shaft rotatably mounted in said elbow and having a gear in toothed engagement with said driven gear, and a sleeve embracing said elbow in threaded engagement therewith arranged to clamp the split members of the structure together.

10. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding split head having a polygonal neck formed by association of complementary head sections, a split elbow having a collar substantially conforming to said polygonal neck and formed by association of complementary elbow sections, and

a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly clamp the sections of the elbow and head together to form an operative structure.

11. A dental handpicce attachment comprising a bur-holding head split transverse to the axis of the bur and having a restricted I neck provided with inclined surfaces, a split elbow adjustably connected with said head and having a collar fitted to said neck and providing inclined surfaces complementary to the inclined surfaces of said restricted neck, and a sleeve in threaded engagement with said elbow arranged to rigidly hold said parts together with the inclined surfaces of said head and collar cooperating to form an integral structure.

12. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a bur-holding head split transverse to the axis of the bur and having a restricted neck, a split elbow adjustably connected with said head and having a collar fitted to said neck and provided with a conical surface forming an acute angle with its axis, and a sleeve having a beveled surface arranged to cooperate with said conical surface and having threads spaced inwardly from said beveled surface and threadedly engaged .with the inner end of said split elbow.

13. A dental handpiece attachment comprising a split head having separable sections, and a split elbow having separable sections, the plane of separation of said head being transverse to the plane of separation of said elbow, and means engaging the split sections of said elbow and serving to hold the split sections of said head together in operative relation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, A. D. 1928 ROBERT C. ANGELL. 

